...join the song...

One day every voice will sing
Every beggar, prince and king
Every nation, tongue and tribe
Every ocean in between will cry, will cry

Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here below
To Him all the glory belongs
Praise Him above you heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost
Let all the earth sing along
Come join the song

Gathered round the throne above
We’ll be swept up in the melody
Hearts will overflow with love
We’ll be singing out a symphony, we’ll sing

Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here below
To Him all the glory belongs
Praise Him above you heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost
Let all the earth sing along
Come join the song

The song that fills eternity
Sung throughout all history
As angels shout and kings lay down their crowns
We bow down

Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above you heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost

Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here below
To Him all the glory belongs
Praise Him above you heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost
Let all the earth sing along
Come join the song
Come join the song...sing along
Come join the song
Come join the song

-Vicky Beeching


Wow. What a week. For those of you who hadn't heard...Jude was hit with influenza. The whole ordeal started a couple weeks ago...Jude was extra cranky and I took his temp...it was 102. He woke up at 11pm crying- which hasn't happened since he was only months old- and when Derrick checked up on him...the poor guy had dye-ra (diarrhea). The fever/dye-ra only lasted until Wed night...but he had a fever on and off on Thursday. Jude was perfect on Fri and throughout the weekend. Monday night (last week)...Derrick was putting Jude to bed...he was yucky cranky again and wouldn't eat dinner...and noticed he was super hot- to the touch... the fever was back. His temp hovered at 102 all day...but then Tuesday night reached 104.8. I. about. freaked. I mean...The boy had never even had it as high as a 101, let alone 102...but then 104.8?! I wasn't sure when I was supposed to rush him to the ER...so I called the after hours nurseline...I'd been talking to a nurse off and on all day...I didn't want to take Jude to the pediatrician for them to tell me that he just needs to take Tylenol and baths- what a waste! We managed to get his fever down by altering Tylenol/Motrin...but man...did it make for a long night! As soon as the office opened...Derrick called to get us in. I took Jude in at 9:30...they checked his temp (which I had gotten down to 99), his nose, lungs, ears. Nothing. I was starting to get upset. You cannot tell me that it is NORMAL for a lil baby...who stays HOME all day w/ his mom...will out of the blue get 104 temps! The Dr. did a nose swab...which killed me b/c Jude was NOT thrilled w/ it- I don't blame him- I have never before stuck anything that high up my nose before in my life! We had to wait for 20 mins for the results- which...ATT may have HORRID coverage...but thank God for iPhones- b/c we youtubed Sesame Street the entire time and Jude was content! When the Dr. came back...she told me that although the line was very faint...Jude did test positive for influenza "a". ?! Okay- so he has the flu? Well...then she tells me...that she thinks that it may be the new strand of flu- the H1N1- which my next words were- "are you telling me my son has the SWINE FLU?!" Long story short- come to find out that influenza "a" has 2 strands...the regular seasonal flu...and the swine flu. The swine flu is apparently more common than we think...and not "as dangerous" as the media portrays either. The Dr. reassured me that the deaths we are hearing about are typically cases of people who have prior medical issues... um...okay. She also continues by telling me that there is no way of knowing for sure if it is the H1N1 unless further tests are taken...but would not be taken unless Jude was sick enough to be hospitalized. Riiiiighhht.

Anyways. Surprisingly...once I left the Dr. office...I had a peace about it. Kids get sick. Kids get the flu. There is no way of knowing if it is indeed the "swine flu"...but at least I know it's the flu and that he should be getting better within 48hrs or I'd have to take him back to see the Dr. It was alot harder on Derrick...and the rest of our families, I think, than it was on me...initially. Derrick has been working crazy hours w/ rehearsals and the Worship Night (um- which totally rocked!)...and I think for him...it was just hard knowing that he couldn't be home with us. For me...the hardest part was seeing my vibrant, happy boy be so miserable. He wasn't the same child. He was a bit of a terror...and towards the evenings...my patience would run veeeerrry thin. Top that off w/ sleep deprivation- b/c we were waking up every 2-4 hours to check his temp and give him more Tylenol/Motrin- and I was a stinkin' hot.mess! I literally felt like that first week after his birth...which I felt helpless and anxious and a lil nutz. I found myself crying all day Thursday. My heart was racing all day....to the point that I burst out crying when my mom and dad came over w/ lunch b/c I had been confined to watching TV the past several days (the only way Jude would rest and nap) and had a MOUND of stuff to do around the house... My poor dad felt so bad for me- he vacuumed my entire house! :) Love that man! Derrick was able to come home early...and didn't have rehearsal. His parents came over that night w/ dinner. I felt "ok"...it was nice not being a single- and pregnant- parent...but as soon as Derrick's parents left...I started crying all over again! ::sigh!::

The good thing is...we were continually seeing a pattern to Jude's temps...and they weren't as high as originally (oooh- forgot to mention that every morning at 4-5am, Jude would wake up w/ the chills- which were almost IMPOSSIBLE to get rid of...wicked sad)...Friday was a decent day...the highest his temps got to was 101...and he FINALLY ate something! (Of course, I cried...) Saturday was the first day that I saw my lil boy again...his temps stayed 97-98 all day w/o any Tylenol...he was playing...eating a wee lil more (still not 100% back w/ his appetite, though)...and best of all- he was my smiling/laughing lil loverloo- the crankiness...gone! He's been doing great today too!!! ::sigh:: Praise. The. Lord!

So...in what may be the world's longest blogpost- which- I'm uber impressed if you read it all w/o skimming/skipping... Jude is better. Still stuffy...but better. Thanks to all of you who called or emailed or FB'd offering prayers or dinners or whatevers. I appreciate you all so much...and I thank you for loving my son.

Please continue to pray for us Logans. The enemy thought he had the best of us- especially by attacking my baby- but we continued to believe that God has everything under control. I'm sure this will not be the end of the "attacks"...but we will be ready...